BOYS AT RACES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 235, 2 October 1916, Page 6

BOYS AT RACES.

_ PROBATION OFFICER'S COMPLAINT. FOUR LITTLE RAPSCALLIONS. Four youngsters, of ages ranging from eight to thirteen years, came before Mr. E. C. Cutten, SAL. this morning on charges of theft, which they admitted. It was stated that the four of them had got into the City Market and stolen 15/----worth of fruit and some bangles, muff chains and lead pencils belonging to E. A. Perkins and Co. On a later date three of them got into the confectionery shop of Thos. Xairn. in Queen Street, making entry through the fanlight, and appropriated 10/- worth of lollies. One of the boys on Saturday fortnight got five racecards to sell, and he sold them, and he and his companions went to the Avondale races on the proceeds instead of giving the money to the man for whom the books were sold.

Mr. F. S. Shell (Juvenile Probation Officer) stated that he had not had an opportunity of making inquiries about the boys, but he wished to state that he thought stricter supervision of boys on racecourses was required. He had frequently seen large numbers of small boys at the races about Auckland, not under parental supervision, and had noticed some among them making up tickets to bet on the races, in one instance one lad of fourteen "laying the odds" after the fashion of a bookmaker. He thought that perhaps the matter of unattached boys at the races might be brought under the notice of the racing clubs, with a view to some stricter supervision being ' imposed. His Worship adjourned the theft charges until Saturday, pending a report from the Probation Officer, renmrkina that he woold defer any comment on boys and races until den.